Chapter 43 - Damn Reincarnation

Akron

On Akron’s first floor, one wall of the vast space was densely covered with the history of Aroth and Akron. Quite a few of those accounts concerned Senya.

This royal library held not only numerous spellbooks of supreme value, but also the legacies of legendary archmages who had left indelible marks on magical history, with separate floors devoted to each.

'They call it a library, but it’s a lot like a museum.'

Eugene stood with his hands behind his back, reading the writing on the wall. Naturally, Senya was what interested him most. Her legacy occupied the twelfth through fourteenth floors. Of all the mages honored in Akron, she alone had three entire floors to herself.

That was how much weight the name Senya Merdein carried in the history of Aroth—no, in the history of magic itself. The archmage who had faced the Demon Kings alongside Vermouth the Great.

Vermouth himself had contributed little to the advancement of magic, but Senya had settled in Aroth and served as Green Tower Master for many years. She had formalized the circle system of magic and spread it so that countless mages could learn it.

'You really worked hard.'

Eugene smiled bitterly as he read about Senya’s life.

'It doesn’t suit you at all.'

She had said she wanted an ordinary life: to marry like everyone else, have children, and grow old that way.

Yet despite saying that, Senya had remained single all her life. Eugene had looked through several books about her while at the Red Tower. She had lived in Aroth for nearly a hundred years without so much as one of those commonplace romantic rumors to her name.

Senya the Wise.

Several books in Aroth gave her another epithet.

The Seeker of Truth.

According to them, she had lived alone her entire life, neither drinking nor indulging in luxury, and had spent most of her days in the Green Tower or her mansion. She had never met privately with her three disciples outside the tower, nor had she ever appeared at banquets or similar gatherings.

Nothing in those accounts resembled the Senya Eugene remembered.

The Senya Hamel remembered had loved drinking. Not as much as Anise, but throughout their travels, she had often been scolded for sneaking drinks of Anise’s holy water.

She had loved having fun, too. She enjoyed drinking and chatting with mercenaries in cheap taverns, and she liked talking to strangers.

To think that Senya had spent a hundred long years leading a life so dry that people called her a seeker of truth. Eugene simply could not believe it.

“Kid.”

He had been frowning as he reread the records about Senya. When he turned, he found the White Tower Master smiling and twirling her curly hair around a finger.

“What are you reading so intently? Is there a mage you’re interested in?”

“Have you finished talking?”

Rather than answer her question, Eugene asked one of his own. Behind the White Tower Master, the other mages were emerging from the room.

“Yes, we’re finished. We didn’t take too long, did we?”

“You finished much sooner than I expected.”

“Even a whole day wouldn’t have been enough to get everyone to agree.”

“Then what happened?”

“We took a majority vote.”

The White Tower Master grinned and glanced behind her.

“Five in favor of giving you an entry permit. Two against. One neutral.”

“More than I expected.”

“Aren’t you curious who voted for you, who voted against you, and who stayed neutral?”

“As long as more people voted in favor, that’s enough. Does that mean I can go upstairs now?”

“Yes, you can. We decided by majority vote, after all. Oh, you don’t seem particularly curious, but I’ll tell you anyway. I was the neutral one.”

Eugene’s eyes widened. She had approached him so amiably that he had assumed she had voted in favor. As he tilted his head, the White Tower Master giggled at him.

“It was clear there would be more votes in favor anyway. One person staying neutral wouldn’t change the outcome. Oh, don’t let it bother you, though. I stayed neutral, but I’m not opposed to you entering Akron.”

“But you weren’t unconditionally in favor, either.”

“True. Honestly, I think it’s a gray area. You have talent to spare, and plenty of potential. But you are young, aren’t you?”

The White Tower Master lowered her voice. Leaning slightly toward Eugene, she whispered,

“Besides, the deciding factor was that taking either side would drag me into an annoying argument. See their faces? They’re all sulking... We ended up voting, and we reached a decision, but they’re going to move somewhere else and start arguing again.”

“And you, White Tower Master?”

“I’m neutral, so it doesn’t concern me. I told them I wouldn’t change my position no matter what they said.”

She straightened and made a show of waving to the other mages. Only the stern-faced Blue Tower Master reacted. He gave her a look of utter disgust, then sighed heavily and left Akron.

“The Blue Tower Master voted in favor.”

“... What?”

“Of your entry permit. He was against it at first, but apparently he changed his mind along the way.”

Eugene found that surprising. The Blue Tower Master had openly displayed his displeasure from the moment Eugene entered the room, yet he had changed his position in the end.

“Now, ta-da! Who do you think the two opponents were?”

“I told you I’m not curious.”

“The Green Tower Master and the head of the Mages’ Guild.”

“Why tell me when I said I’m not curious?”

“Are you really seventeen? What a dull reaction. Aren’t you angry or indignant or anything?”

“What is there to get angry or indignant about?”

“‘How dare they disrespect the Lionheart main family!’ Don’t you have any of that sort of superiority complex?”

“No.”

“Because you’re originally from a collateral branch?”

“No, that’s not it. What fucking superiority complex? Coming all the way to another country and getting caught up in that bullshit would be humiliating.”

“You mean your older brother?”

The White Tower Master asked with a mischievous smile. Eugene stared at her incredulously, then glared.

Melkith El-Hayah, the White Tower Master.

Eugene knew of her, too. The greatest spirit summoner of the age. The first person in history to contract with two Spirit Kings simultaneously. A great mage who had reached a level worthy of the title of archmage not only in spirit magic, but in ordinary magic as well.

“You keep saying things I don’t want to hear. Do you have something against me?”

“No.”

“Then do you have a problem with the other mages?”

“Of course not. Do you think I’m trying to turn you against them? Oh, come on, it’s nothing like that. What would I gain from it?”

“Then why are you doing this?”

“Because I’m interested.”

Melkith beamed and pointed at Wynnyd, the Storm Sword, at Eugene’s waist.

“I know what that sword is. A Lionheart treasure. Wynnyd, the Storm Sword. They say it bears the Wind Spirit King’s blessing, don’t they?”

“Yes. What about it?”

“I’m interested in you, but I’m also very interested in that sword. I’ve wanted to contract with the Wind Spirit King for ages... But His High-and-Mightiness won’t show himself no matter how often I call.”

“As far as I know, you already have contracts with two Spirit Kings. Aren’t two enough?”

“Of course they aren’t.”

Melkith stared at Wynnyd with glittering eyes. She looked ready to lunge forward and snatch it at any moment.

“I’ve tried hard, you know? I even asked the Lightning Spirit King and the Earth Spirit King for help, but they said the Wind Spirit King wouldn’t contract with anyone. So I sent the Lionheart main family a long, heartfelt letter. Do you know what they wrote back?”

“Can I go upstairs now?”

“They said they could never lend the main family’s treasure to an outsider. Stingy bastards. You’d think I was going to swallow Wynnyd and disappear. All I wanted was to try using it as a catalyst for a contract. Why put up such an impenetrable wall?”

“Look. No matter what you say, I have no intention of lending you Wynnyd. Strictly speaking, I don’t even own it. I’m only borrowing it with the family head’s permission.”

“It’s fine. I won’t tell anyone. Just lend it to me for a little while. It shouldn’t take long. A day at most. You can even watch if you want.”

In truth, the offer was rather tempting to Eugene, too. Vermouth was dead. Senya seemed to be alive, but she wasn’t in any condition to converse, and he had no idea where in the world she was holed up. Anise? The trail of the pilgrim she had become had gone cold two hundred years ago. He knew just as little about where that bastard Moron had gone.

The only one in this age who knew the truth of what had happened three hundred years ago in the Demon King of Incarceration’s castle was Tempest, the Wind Spirit King. Of course, Tempest had insisted that he knew nothing either, but Eugene simply couldn’t believe him.

'That son of a bitch won’t get off his fucking ass, no matter how often I call.'

Over the past four years, he had called Tempest again and again. Every time he gained another star in the White Flame Formula, every time his mana increased. He had repeatedly badgered the sylphs he would contract with, too, but Tempest had never once answered his call.

'I can’t summon Tempest with the mana I have now.'

But Melkith should be able to. Surely she was qualified enough. Of all the spirit summoners who had made their names across the continent, she alone had contracted with two Spirit Kings simultaneously. He had never appeared when she called before, but with Wynnyd as a catalyst, Tempest might respond.

“Kid, where are you going? I’m not done talking.”

“Why should I listen when there’s nothing worth hearing?”

Although he thought it might work, Eugene showed no positive response to Melkith’s offer. Rather than eagerly accept, he intended to play hard to get and squeeze something more out of her.

“I asked where you’re going.”

“Upstairs. You said I’d been granted access, didn’t you? Do I need an actual entry permit or something?”

“Ask over there, and they’ll give you one.”

Surprisingly, Melkith told him straightaway. Eugene headed for the door she indicated.

Akron had a library director, too. Director in name, at least; in practice, he was a civil servant who managed the familiars and couldn’t even access the upper floors. The aging mage opened the door as soon as Eugene knocked.

“I’ve been informed.”

Issuing the entry permit did not take long. The seal of Akron was stamped on the back of Eugene’s identification card, and that was all.

“What happens if someone goes up without an entry permit?”

“They die.”

The director answered as though it were obvious.

“First, Akron’s interception spells will strike them all over their body. If that doesn’t kill them, every familiar in Akron will attack with orders to kill on sight. Though the mages with entry permits will mobilize before then.”

“Did you know? The familiars here were left behind by the archmages honored in Akron.”

Melkith had not left Eugene’s side. She continued speaking, casting greedy glances at Wynnyd.

“Not just the familiars of the Magic King who founded Aroth, but those of the Battle Mage, known as the father of combat magic. And Senya the Wise’s familiars are still here, too.”

“...”

“Such a dull reaction from our little boy. Weren’t you terribly interested in Lady Senya?”

Melkith asked with a crooked smile.

“I saw everything earlier. You kept reading her records over and over. On your first day in Aroth, you went straight to visit her mansion, and the other day you met your collateral-branch friend in Merdein Square.”

“You certainly know a lot.”

“You don’t seem to realize it, little boy, but you’re very famous.”

“Of course I’m famous.”

Eugene snorted as he answered.

“You’re a bit obnoxious, aren’t you? Not what your looks would suggest.”

“What do you mean, not what my looks would suggest?”

“You’re handsome, after all.”

“Just think of it as my looks going to my head.”

“Not a bit obnoxious. Very obnoxious.”

“Why do you keep calling me a kid, anyway?”

“Because you are a kid. You’re seventeen, aren’t you? Goodness, you still smell of milk.”

“There’s something on the tip of my tongue, but I’m not sure I should say it.”

“What is it?”

“I won’t say it. It seems too rude for a first meeting.”

He couldn’t very well tell her she smelled like a grandmother. Melkith stared at Eugene for a moment, then needlessly sniffed herself.

“I don’t smell of anything.”

“And I don’t smell of milk.”

“So when will you lend me Wynnyd?”

“I won’t.”

Ignoring Melkith as she followed him, Eugene looked around. He had wondered whether he would have to climb the stairs, but there was an elevator in the corner.

“See the slot beside the door? Put your identification card in there, and it’ll open. You’re going to the twelfth floor, right?”

“Yes.”

“See? You really do love Lady Senya.”

“I don’t.”

“Maybe it’s because you’re so young, but you get embarrassed about the strangest things. It’s all right, it’s all right. Big Sis understands. Children are like that, aren’t they? Especially boys. They can’t honestly admit they like what they like. It’s adorable.”

“Isn’t ‘Big Sis’ pushing it a little?”

“Are you making an issue of my age?”

“As far as I know, Lady Melkith, you’re over sixty.”

Even adding the years of his previous life, Melkith was older than him. Granted, she looked no older than her mid-twenties, but that didn’t make her actual age any younger.

“What does age matter when I’m young at heart? So don’t be shy. You can call me Big Sis.”

Eugene did not answer. Instead, he inserted his identification card into the elevator and let his mind wander to a silly thought.

If Senya had lived all this time without dying, she would be over three hundred years old.

'When I see her, I’ll call her Grandma.'

She was beyond a grandmother; he ought to call her undead. Of course, if he said that to her face, Senya would undoubtedly unleash a torrent of curses and try to kill him.

He hoped she would.

Eugene smiled bitterly and entered the elevator. Melkith did not join him. She stood outside, smiling brightly and waving.

“Have a good time.”

“You’re not going to wait for me, are you?”

“I’m not that idle. Honestly, I’d like to go with you, but, hmm... I don’t think you’d be able to concentrate with me there.”

“Of course I wouldn’t.”

“Right, so I won’t. The shock of encountering a fragment of truth... Hehe, it’s always most intense the first time.”

Melkith chuckled and pointed at Eugene’s lower body.

“You might want to wear a diaper.”

“Why?”

“You might wet yourself.”

He shouldn’t have asked. Scowling, Eugene pressed the button for the twelfth floor, then immediately hammered the close-door button.

The elevator ascended. Reaching the twelfth floor did not take long. With a little exaggeration, it arrived in the blink of an eye.

“Welcome to the Hall of Senya.”

When the elevator doors opened, a small girl looked up at Eugene with a radiant smile.

“...”

Eugene stared down at her, his lips half parted.

The girl, who looked about ten years old, was the spitting image of the Senya he remembered.